Who is often credited with leading to the significant fall of the Inca Empire?

Francisco Pizarro is credited with the significant fall of the Inca Empire due to his role as a Spanish conquistador who led the expedition that ultimately resulted in the conquest of the Incas. In 1532, Pizarro captured the Inca emperor Atahualpa after a surprise attack, which had devastating effects on the Inca political structure. Following Atahualpa's execution, Pizarro and his forces were able to exploit internal divisions within the empire, weakening resistance and allowing the Spanish to take control over large territories. The combination of superior military technology, strategic alliances with enemy tribes, and the spread of European diseases further contributed to the collapse of the Inca Empire.

Other figures mentioned, such as Hernán Cortéz, were involved in different conquests; Cortéz is primarily known for the fall of the Aztec Empire in Mexico. Cortés de la Vega and Diego de Almagro also played roles in the Spanish conquests but did not lead to the fall of the Inca Empire in the same direct manner as Pizarro.